Strength Training Circuit for Runners

After I made the big decision to switch from Surf City Marathon to the half in order to ensure I show up to the start line of Eugene BQ ready, I came to the realization that I no longer have the excuse of  being a “high volume” runner with a marathon in a few weeks (or months….) to justify avoiding strength training. I’ve been looking forward to getting back to weight lifting for a while now and although I plan to really dedicate time to it by completing P90X2 later this year, I know that now is the time to get started.

Knock on wood, I’ve never really been injured (I had some knee pain during IM training but luckily it only required me to cut short a few long  bike rides and wouldn’t have been considered a serious injury) and although I’m sure there are a lot of factors that have gone into that, I think part of the reason is that before I went all endurance-agro, I build some serious muscle and core strength with P90X. After I finished my first round of P90X religiously, Mike and I attempted to incorporate the workouts into a second round modified around triathlon. It wasn’t easy to get in the workouts no top of swim-bike-run and ultimately we ended up skipping a lot of them. Then in October I tried Insanity, also modified to accommodate triathlon and marathon training. The good news is I was still strength training, just not as often as before.

From January-June during Ironman training I tried to get in yoga once a week plus at least one or two core workouts (usually Ab Ripper). Some weeks I was successful and other weeks I didn’t do anything but swim, bike and run. There wasn’t a single weight lifted in this period. At some point I tried to do a pull-up and discovered I still could do one so I figured I wasn’t losing THAT much muscle. After the race, I dabbled in various group fitness classes, did some P90X yoga, and then started up at Dailey Method. Although I love TDM, there is nothing that can replace a good weight session (plus my membership expired and I’m trying to save money so I decided not to renew). While we were in Belize in November, the eco-lodge we stayed at had a pull-up bar. I tried a pull-up and failed. I knew then that I had lost some serious strength (also could have been spending a lot of time in a bikini…).

So, starting last week, I’ve dedicated myself to going to the gym at least one day a week (during lunch!) to get in a 45 minute strength training routine. This is in addition to the weekly Monday lunchtime yoga class I’ve been going to and the 1-2 times a week I’ve been doing Ab Ripper! I no longer can stand going to the gym and wandering around weight machines aimlessly doing reps, so I knew I had to put together a plan for myself.  I used a  couple of different articles I found online about strength training for runners as well as my own knowledge of strength training and made myself a full body strength training working that I could complete two times in about 45 minutes. I tried to do as few isolation moves as possible, favoring combination moves in order to be more efficient.

Here’s what I did (12-20 reps for weight bearing exercises, to failure for planks and push-ups):

• Split Leg Squats (lunge with back leg on a bench or step) with Overhead Press
• Low Plank
• Sumo Squat with an Upright Row
• Push-Ups
• Squats with Bicep Curls (this turned into squats and then bicep curls because I found it hard to focus on them together)
• Lateral Lunges
• Side Plank
• Straight Leg Deadlift with a Row
• Tricep Kickback (while in a slight squat for leg work)
• Plank Punches (hold a high plank and alternate punching in front of you)
• Bicycle Crunches (25 each side)

After I was finished, I repeated!

Luckily I brought a shower gear because both times I did this routine I was very sweaty! It was harder than I thought but a great workout. As expected, I was VERY sore on Friday after completing this workout last week. Unfortunately the soreness lasted until Sunday but I knew that it wouldn’t be easy getting back into things. I’m hoping that after today’s workout that I’m not quite as sore. Despite the soreness, I still had a great long run on Sunday so I think it’s not affecting my runs too much.

I’m hoping to continue this routine and eventually add in a second day of weight lifting. If not, I think that yoga, this routine and a couple sessions of good ol’ Ab Ripper will keep me strong enough during Eugene Marathon training to prevent injury (knock on wood again).

Tip: Print out the workout and bring it with you to the gym and mark your weight and reps as you complete it. I found it much more motivating doing this!

Do you strength train while marathon training? What kind of workouts do you do? 

Brrrrrr!!!

This Southern California coast born and raised girl has not been happy with the weather lately. A cold front has come through Southern California and has brought some seriously frigid weather with it. Temperatures in the 30s (mornings/nights) and 40s (day!) may not seem extreme to many, but for someone who doesn’t own long underwear, mittens (until a week ago), or much in the way of warm jackets, it’s been pretty uncomfortable at times!

If I’m Lucky, Mike Will Join Me For a Freezing Run (in shorts)

The hardest part for me has been those chilly pre-dawn runs. Waking up at 5:30 to run X number of miles is hard enough, but worse knowing that you have to leave your warm bed for the freezing pavement. Even on my weekend long runs which I’ve been delaying until 8:30-9:30 AM require layers and long sleeves. Coming from someone who HAS to wear a tank when she races, this is an extreme circumstance. For Christmas I got a Lululemon beanie and Lululemon running gloves (with touchscreen friendly finger tips!) which added to my pitiful collection of “winter running gear” which is mostly comprised of free long sleeve racing shirts I got at the Carlsbad half marathon and the Turkey Trot as well as a long sleeve cycling pull-over and a bright yellow cycling jacket (this is to be worn only in extreme circumstances).

You may be wondering why I don’t go out and buy more winter friendly gear? Well, I guess I’m cheap. Considering that it’s only this cold 1-2 months of the year and I don’t plan on being a crazy winter training freak for the rest of my life (maybe just a few more years?), I don’t want to invest in a $100-200 winter running jacket. Instead, I just want to complain to you about it here.

My Pile of Clothes Set Out The Night Before a Early Morning Run

So instead of laying out some dough for real gear, here’s Nicole’s “How to Survive Winter Running Without Purchasing Anything” list (add an additional layer for each 15 degree drop in temperature):

• Undershirt (a moisture-wicking tank that normally would be worn solo in the summer)
• Long sleeve technical t-shirt, preferably free race schwag
• Thin running jacket (usually worn post-workout in the summer to stay warm on those chilly 60 degree nights) or cycling jacket
• The longest running pants you own (note: it’s ok to wear these a few times without washing – justify it by telling yourself you don’t sweat as much in the cold).
• Running beanie placed under running hat
• Running gloves (substitute for old tube socks if you’re really in a bind)

Moral of the story – layer layer layer and you can survive the winter without breaking the bank!

At Least Early Morning Running Can Be Beautiful!

How do you keep warm in the winter!? 

PS Jimmy Kimmel makes fun of So Cal “cold weather” complainers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6t-EjrtD3U

VegaSport Recovery Shake

I’ve found that I recover better and faster when I have a recovery drink immediately after hard workouts. I don’t need to remind you of the recovery benefits of replacing lost glycogen to your muscles – I’m sure you’ve heard it enough times.

Since turning to a more plant-based diet, I hadn’t been using a recovery drink. After spending a fortune on the Ironman, I decided I’d try to go without one for a while. Since I wasn’t training hard, it didn’t matter as much. However, once I got into some heavy marathon training, I knew I needed something to drink immediately following my workouts.

My requirements for a recovery drink are:

1) Vegan (most recovery drinks get their protein from casein or whey)

2) Non Soy Based

3) Contains branch chain amino acids and/or glutamine

4) Tasty & mixes well into a smoothie type drink

After some research, Mike and I decided to try VegaOne’s VegaSport Performance Protein. VegaOne is a vegan supplement company created by vegan pro-triathlete Brendan Brazier and is highly reviewed on many websites. We decided to give it a try after all the hype we’d heard. We purchased a Mixed Berry flavor tub and a Chocolate flavor tub. We knew based on the nutrition facts that it fit 1-3 of our requirements, but we weren’t sure if it’d also be tasty.

One scoop of VegaSport Performance Protein contains 110 calories and 25 grams of plant-based protein! The protein is not soy, rather it is a combination of pea, sancha inchi (a rich, plant-based source of the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is a key component of serotonin production), sprouted whole grain brown rice, hemp and alfalfa protein. It also contains 5,543 mg of branched chain amino acids and 5,000 mg of glutamine.

After our next workout, we tried the powder mixed just with 8 ounces of water. It wasn’t bad tasting – not many protein shakes are great mixed with water (I can honestly say Shakeology is the only shake I’ve ever tasted that is thick and delicious with just water). However, the next time we blended it with a few other ingredients and it was quite delicious! The drink is definitely drinkable on its own, but I recommend it blended not only for taste, but also for the added carbohydrates (the powder itself only has 6g carbohydrates). Although VegaSport has a lot of protein, it is lacking a bit in carbs which are necessary for recovery.

Ingredients

After some experimentation, my perfect VegaSport recovery drink is:

• 1 scoop VegaSport (6g carbs/26 g protein)
• 1 cup almond milk (16 g carbs)
• 1 full banana (24 g carbs)
• 1/2 cup organic frozen mixed berries (8g carbs)
• 1 tsp Spirulina (2g protein)

Blend and enjoy!

The addition of the almond milk gets the total carbs up to 54 so the carb:protein ratio is now 2:1 instead of 1:4 (3:1 is actually ideal but typically I eat a full meal soon after I have this shake which helps).  On early morning tough runs I typically just drink the powder with water and then have a big bowl of oatmeal with banana within 30 minutes of my workout for my carbohydrate intake. When I do an easy workout or run, I usually skip the recovery drink so that it lasts longer.

Do you use a recovery supplement? 

P90X or Insanity?

I’ve had several people ask me recently which is better – P90X or Insanity. I believe both programs are awesome ways to get in shape with the comfort and convenience of your own home. I’ve had success with both programs,  but personally I prefer one over the other, especially for runners who are also training for a race at the same time.

Insanity vs. P90X

P90X Lifting!

To start, here are the some  of the differences in the programs:

• P90X is 90 days, Insanity is 60 days. 
• The average P90X workout is 1 hour 15 minutes. The average Insanity workout is 45 minutes.
• P90X includes weight lifting (i.e. you have to own weights) and Insanity requires no equipment
• P90X includes two days of cardio whereas Insanity has cardio included daily.
• P90X has three phases, each three weeks long with one recovery week. Insanity has two phases and one recovery week.
• P90X Fit Test is completed only at the beginning and end of the program.  Insanity fit test is completed every few weeks to measure progress.
• P90X nutrition plan has 3 phases, Insanity nutrition plan is the same throughout (with an increase in calories during the 2nd phase).
• P90X is led by Tony Horton, a personality that some hate and some love (I personally love him) and Insanity is led by Shaun T, who has a very in your face attitude toward fitness.

P90X (My P90X Results Here)

My P90X Results!

Pros

• P90X is a strength training program. If you follow the program as intended,  you will see some serious changes in your body.
• Although it is primarily strength, you will see increases in cardiovascular health and flexibility through the plyometrics and yoga DVDs.
• If you plan on training for a running or endurance event while completing P90X, you will find it is a nice complement. Since only two of the workouts are serious leg exercises, your legs will get stronger but won’t constantly be fatigued and affect your runs. Schedule your runs on upper body days.
• The P90X Nutrition plan fits well into an average person’s eating schedule – three meals and two snacks a day and is fairly easy to follow, especially once you figure out your portion sizes. 
• I personally think that you will get more impressive results with P90X. The weight lifting component won’t make you (as a girl) bulk up – instead, it will create a thin body with lean muscle!
• P90X has such a variety of workouts that you will never get bored.
• P90X comes with worksheets to track your progress as you do each workout. I found these extremely motivating because I would look at my prior week’s workout and always try to do more reps or increase my weights. I think this was a huge factor in my success.

Cons

• P90X requires equipment so it not as easy to do on the go and also there is more initial investment to purchase weights and a pull-up bar (or you can use bands which can be taken to hotel rooms).
• Some people really dislike Tony Horton and his corny jokes.
• P90X workouts are an average of 1 hour 15 minutes, 6 days a week which could be time consuming for some.

Insanity  (My Insanity Results Here)

Doing Insanity!

Pros

• Insanity is a very intense cardio program. It will increase your cardiovascular fitness and burn a ton of calories. You will literally be dripping sweat within the first 5 minutes.
• Since Insanity’s workouts are fairly short so it fits well into a busy schedule.
• Insanity can easily be completed in hotel rooms and on the go since it requires no equipment.
• Since you do Insanity’s fit test so often, you will see tangible results in your cardiovascular fitness and strength which provide motivation to keep going.

Cons

• Since Insanity is SO cardio focused and leg-focused, I found that it affected my runs. My legs were often tired and it had a negative affect on my attitude during runs as well as my performance during them. 
• Without weights, I found that Insanity didn’t give me as much of a sculpted look as I had hoped. Although the program definitely builds muscle, I found that I had more success with P90X.
• Since Insanity is so repetitive, I found it boring at times.
• Insanity won’t provide you with a ripped upper body. Although you may see some changes in your upper body, not a significant portion of the workouts emphasize upper body.
• I had a harder time following the Insanity Nutrition Plan because it is based on 5 small meals a day. I didn’t like eating a mini meal at 10 a.m. and another at 2 p.m.

In Sum

I always recommend P90X over Insanity, especially to runners who are looking to complete the program while training for a race. Although the workouts are shorter with Insanity, I found the intensity on my legs affected my runs. P90X, on the other hand, worked well to compliment my runs. I found the P90X nutrition plan easier to fit into my lifestyle than Insanity’s.

Regardless of which program you chose, your results will be based on your level of effort. Following the nutrition plan is key (or a variation of it) and getting all your workouts in is important. More important than always doing the workouts is always doing your best and pushing it hard. As Tony says, You have to BRING IT!

Disclaimer – It’s hard for me to completely judge the differences since I had weight to lose before starting P90X and I followed the nutrition plan very strictly during P90X. I had amazing results with P90X. When I did Insanity, I was already in fairly good shape and didn’t follow the nutrition plan (yet still lost a bit of weight without dieting). I also only did 3-4 Insanity workouts a week and combined it with triathlon/running.

For more information about P90X or Insanity or to purchase a program, check out my Beachbody website here!

Also, I have all my P90X information on my P90X Resources page. I documented how I combined P90X with running.

Tempeh Vegan Burritos

I really enjoy cooking and have been cooking for myself since I was 19 years old. After gaining the Freshman 15, I spent the summer between Freshman and Sophomore years of college learning to cook healthy food to aid in the process of losing the weight. At first it was pretty basic and involved what I thought were healthy processed food alternatives to my favorite unhealthy things (such as non-fat american cheese on egg beaters, using “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” in my packaged rice dish served with broccoli, baked lays with salsa, frozen yogurt instead of ice cream, etc), but over time, I started moving toward a more whole foods diet.

In the beginning my meals were quite plain – about three times a week I’d eat a chicken breast with a baked potato and a frozen veggie medley. Over the years my diet has changed and I’ve learned to cook a lot of different dishes using a variety of ingredients. Most healthy, some not, but in general I eat very healthfully at home and keep the splurges to meals out or parties. One of my favorite things to eat (and the thing Mike seems to enjoy most), is a homemade healthy burrito. Before I stopped cooking with meat I made chicken or ground turkey tacos/burritos but now I use tempeh (if you don’t know what this amazing product is, check it out here. It is the only soy product I use because it is fermented so it doesn’t have the same negative effects that other soy products do).

Sometimes I use recipes to cook and sometimes I just make things up. This burrito was created by me. This recipe is perfect for Mike and I because it makes 3 huge burritos. I eat one and he eats two! You could easily  make 4 burritos out of it as well. We usually have some leftover black beans that you can serve on the side as well.

Tempeh Vegan Burritos (makes 3 large burritos or four small burritos)

Ingredients: 

• 1 package organic tempeh 
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Red bell pepper, sliced (for all veggies, use as many as you prefer)
• Mushrooms, chopped
• Kale, sliced (a handful works here)
• Sliced onion
• Oil of your choice (I used sunflower this time)
• Cajun seasoning & salt (to taste)
• 1 can organic black beans
• 3 Ezekiel sprouted grain tortillas
• Guacamole (I make mine at home with avocado, onion and tomato only)

Steps

1. In a large skillet, warm the oil and the garlic and then add onion, peppers, mushrooms and kale. 
2. Sprinkle salt and cajun seasoning over the vegetables and saute over medium heat.
3. Crumble the tempeh and in a separate skillet, warm a little oil and add the tempeh, cooking over medium to high heat (for crispiness!). You can also add more seasoning here for extra flavor.
4. While the tempeh and veggies are cooking, warm the black beans in a separate sauce pan over medium heat (I don’t drain or rinse the beans but later use a slated spoon to scoop them out of the water/sludge).
5. Meanwhile, prepare the guacamole.
6. Once veggies are soft, black beans are warm and the tempeh is heated through and crispy, add a little of each to a warmed (microwave 20-30 seconds) tortilla, along with as much guacamole and salsa as you wish.
7. Enjoy!

No I’m Not a Food Photographer

Nutrition Facts

This vegan burrito is full of protein, fiber and nutrients. Perfect for fueling long runs and big workouts. And it’s also delicious!

• 1 Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Tortilla – 6 g protein, 5 g dietary fiber, 150 calories
• 1 package Organic Sprouted Tempeh – 40 g protein (13 per burrito), 18 g dietary fiber (6 per burrito), 240 calories per serving
• 1/2 cup black beans – 7 g protein, 4g dietary fiber, 100 calories
• Peppers, onions, mushrooms, garlic, kale – no need to explain why these are good for you!
• I’d estimate there is about 650 calories,  26-28 g of protein and 30 g of dietary protein per burrito, depending on how much guacamole and oil you use ( I use about 1/5-1/4 an avocado per burrito and about 1 tbsp oil in total)

What is your favorite healthy Mexican food dish? 

Tough Decisions For The Greater Good

The End Goal!

I made a tough decision this weekend. After 14 weeks of training for the Surf City marathon, I’ve decided to run the half marathon. I’m not injured or sick or have suddenly realized that the Super Bowl is that day and I need to rush home to watch it. I’ve just realized that running a full marathon on February 3 isn’t going to get me to my 2013 goals.

My original goal was to try to qualify for Boston at Surf City. At some point during the first month or so of my training (and probably sometime around running Long Beach half nowhere close to my BQ pace), I realized that Surf City was a little too early for my first attempt. So I decided to just PR at Surf City and choose a 2nd race in the Spring for the BQ.

Where the Eugene Plan Was Hatched!

During a long run with some fellow bloggers in San Francisco, the idea was hatched that we’d all run the Eugene Marathon for a girls weekend. Without doing the math about how many weeks that was after Surf City or the half marathon I signed up for in March, I immediately jumped on board with the idea. I then decided that Eugene would be my first BQ attempt. I wasn’t even sure that I’d be ready for a BQ then but I knew it would be a good race (and I’ve heard it’s fast!).

Properly running and recovering from a marathon takes 6 weeks. There are three weeks of taper before and three weeks of recovery afterward. Running a marathon does some serious damage to your body and it’s not something to be taken lightly. I’ve made SO much progress toward my goal in the last month and a half especially and at this point I’m getting really confident that I can get my BQ at Eugene. I really don’t want anything to get in the way of it and I’m afraid that running a full marathon and taking the time to properly taper and recover will take away from my training.

I didn’t fully understand how running Surf City full would affect my BQ goal at Eugene until I mapped out my 12 week training plan for the weeks between Surf City and Eugene. Advanced Marathoning has a chapter about multiple marathoning and there is a quote from it which got me thinking “This chapter is for those occasions when, for whatever perverse reason, you’ve decided to run two marathons with 12 weeks or less between. Though doing two or more marathons in rapid succession isn’t generally the best way to go after a personal best time….”

Um….oops? I went to someone I trust for advice – Maria, a fellow blogger, triathlete and FAST marathoner who has recently become a coach. She gave me some valuable advice that I wasn’t really wanting to hear at first. I shouldn’t run the full marathon at Surf City if Eugene is my A race. My first instinct was to tell her that I was set on running it because I had just trained for 14 weeks, most of which included 14-20 mile long runs, pre-dawn 10-12 mile mid-week long runs, 9-11 mile tempo runs and the torture that is Yasso 800 intervals! I’ve been training for a marathon and I wanted to run it! She said if I really wanted to run the race, I should ditch my half marathon and 15k that I had planned. Not what I wanted to hear either. Last year when I was training for the Ironman I missed out on several local races that I had wanted to run due to training and this year I told myself I was going to race when I wanted to race. But the truth is, racing is hard on our bodies and it’s not beneficial to race too much. Thinking back to how long it took me to recover from the Ironman, I knew this was true.

During my 11 mile pre-dawn/sunrise freezing run this week

I decided to wait to make my decision until I was more confident that Surf City wouldn’t be a BQ for me. On Saturday my plan had me scheduled for a 15k tune up race but of course they don’t exist in San Diego on a Saturday, so I took the advice from the book and replaced it with a 10 mile tempo run. I decided to make this a 10 mile BQ pace or faster run to see if I could do it and how hard it felt. Last year before Surf City I ran 10 miles at my goal pace of 8:45 min/miles and I remember it felt comfortably hard but not too hard. I ended up achieving my goal of a sub-3:50 marathon so I felt like this would be a good test.

After a good night’s sleep, coffee, breakfast and a good warm-up, I set out to run 10 miles at 8:12 min/miles or faster. I was very happy that yes, I was able to do it (and the final mile was 7:50!). It is definitely the fastest I’ve ever run 10 miles but I was still a bit disappointed at the end because it didn’t feel manageable for 16.2 more miles. I know there is race day magic and that we always run slower in training than on race day, but I just knew in my gut that I wasn’t ready. And even if my body was ready, my head wasn’t. I wouldn’t go into Surf City confident that I was going to BQ and we all know that half the battle in racing is mental toughness. I think that at Eugene I will go into the race knowing it will be my day and that mental confidence will be what keeps me going when it starts to hurt.

I’ve emailed the fine folks at the race already asking if I can make the switch, so unless they refuse me (which I doubt since the half isn’t sold out), I’ll be running the Surf City Half Marathon on February 3. And I plan to use this opportunity to knock another 2013 Goal off my list  by running it in less than 1 hour 45 minutes.

Have you ever changed your race plans for the greater good? Also, please reassure me that I’m making the right choice!

2013 Goals

Last year I went a little overboard and acted like I was superwoman with my 2012 goals. Mike always tells me that you overestimate what you can do in one year and underestimate what you can do in a lifetime and I certainly think that is the case for me! Regardless, I have always been a very goal oriented person and I was excited to put together my list of goals for this year.

2013 Will Be a Year of Running!

1) Qualify for the Boston Marathon. At this point my best and possibly only shot at this will be at Eugene. Due to the nature of marathoning and how long it takes to recover, the next possible time I could run a marathon after Eugene and attempt a BQ would be at least four months later. At this point, I’ve been training for Surf City since October and I don’t think I have it in me to continue to marathon train after Eugene (plus I have some other goals – see below – that interfere with that).  If it doesn’t happen then, I may resign to the fact that it may have to wait until 2014. But, hopefully I won’t have to make that decision since I’ll be qualifying at Eugene!

2) Get Stronger by Completing P90X2. The muscles I built during P90X last year have shriveled down and my upper body strength is a joke. I have been keeping up my core work and I think my legs could be as strong as ever due to Ironman and marathon training, but I’m no where close to where I was on the day I became a  P90X graduate. After we finished P90X last year we tried to do another round but the motivation just wasn’t the same when completing the same program you just did (and it didn’t help that I was training for my first triathlon at the same time). Mike and I think that doing P90X2 will be a good challenge and keep us interested. We plan to complete the entire 90 days and have discussed even giving up things like alcohol and coffee at least for the first month, like we did when we completed P90X the first time.I”m sure I’ll continue to run while we do the program, but much less of course. The plan is to begin the program after I’ve recovered from Eugene – so likely mid to late May.

3) Run a Sub 1:45 Half Marathon. Another carryover goal from last year (P90X2 was also on the list last year). Assuming I can qualify for Boston, this goal shouldn’t be too hard to achieve. Actually according to McMillian’s pace calculator, I should be able to run a 1:42:09 half marathon if I’m able to run the 3:35 marathon needed to qualify for Boston. The only problem I see at this point is that I’ve recently been advised to skip the San Diego Half in March due to its impact on training for Eugene. That would leave me with attempting this time at AFC in August which has never been a great race for me or possibly at Long Beach in October. I haven’t actually trained for a half marathon on its own since Carlsbad in January of 2011, so if I do attempt to tackle this distance later in the year, I think I can do it.

There they are! Nutrition wise, my general goal is to continue my mostly plant-based lifestyle. December was a bad month for this – so much cheese and yummy desserts at holiday parties that I couldn’t resist but I don’t beat myself up about it too much. I didn’t have any meat at all so I consider it overall a win. I’d also love to reduce my sugar intake but I’m not sure I want to enough to make it a serious goal. I love dessert too much to forsake it.

New Books to Help With My Nutrition Goals!

You may be asking ….what about triathlon!? There’s a chance I’ll sign up for a sprint or Olympic in the summer but I likely won’t have any real goals related to those races. I’m a bit burnt out on triathlon and I’d rather recharge and possibly get back into the sport in 2014 than push myself to race again (ok mostly to push myself to get back in the pool….) and get more burnt out. My other goals of gaining strength and becoming faster at running are enough!

Cheers to 2013! Do you make goals each year? What are yours?

Determination, Dedication, and Discipline

Happy New Year Everyone! Of course I have some 2013 fitness goals and I’ll be sharing those in a post soon. I’m having a great time reading every one’s 2012 recaps and 2013 goals.

I follow Gibson’s Daily Running Quotes on Facebook. Originally I did it so that I could provide some good quotes for marathon-finder.com‘s twitter and Facebook pages, but now I find myself enjoying the quotes. There was one posted recently that was quite relevant to my current training state:

“Runners are like any other dream seekers. They have their sights set on a high and lofty goal, and they want to achieve it. Sometimes you get discouraged, though, because the dream seems so far away and so impossibly hard to achieve… But if you’re discouraged, it may be because you’re looking too far ahead. You need to quit judging yourself by where you’re going and the fact that you haven’t yet achieved it. Instead, look at how far you’ve come and appreciate what it’s taken to get there. Progress is being made. It may seem slow and incremental at times, but you are gaining ground. Refuse to be discouraged by your seeming lack of progress. That’s only your perception in the moment; that’s not necessarily the reality. You can get better. You will get better. You are getting better. And you will get to the top of that mountain.”

-Kevin Nelson, The Runner’s Book of Daily Inspiration

This training cycle has had a  lot of ups and downs. Pftizinger’s plans are NOT easy. After training 12-20 hours a week for Ironman, I figured a 55 mile running week would be cake, but it wasn’t (in fact, I never even actually ran 55 miles in one week!). I got knocked on my ass during the first few weeks and my pace was no where near what it should be. I had to do some readjusting of expectations and goal paces and it was discouraging at times. Sometimes during runs I would wonder why I was doing it and whether or not I even have what it takes to run fast. I wondered if I should just give up on my goal to run the Boston Marathon.

But then there are the days where you feel like you’ve come so far. The great runs. I started seeing progress in my runs in mid-November, especially during my longer tempo runs. I started having enough energy for finish my medium-long tempo runs with a mile in the high 7s, which used to be my pace for Yasso 800’s speed work. Right before Belize, I had the “best run ever”, which was 14 miles with 7 at marathon goal pace. I felt GREAT on this run and the low 8 min/miles I ran felt dare I say it, easy.

Since then, I’ve been having at least one absolutely great run a week. The kind of run where I burst through the door with excitement to tell Mike about it. These runs have been confidence boosters and are proving to me that I CAN do it. I AM getting faster. I may not be quite fast enough for a BQ  yet, but what I’m doing is working. I am itching so bad for a race to really prove it, but I’ll have to wait until race day (Surf City is still not going to be my BQ attempt as of now – more on that later).

From One of My Holiday Runs Last Week

Last week, after skipping my long run due to stomach issues the week before, I had TWO amazing runs. Actually, three. The first was my first run post-stomach ache and it was just a 5.5 mile run around my grandma’s house the day after Christmas. My legs felt light and my high 8 min/miles felt easy. The next day I ran 9.5 miles with 7 Yasso 800s. My 7 min/mile goal interval pace didn’t feel wicked fast and I was able to get all 7 in with an average time of 3:31. After the intervals were over, I felt so good that I cruised home in the high 8 min/miles for an average of 8:35 for the whole run. Then after a 12 mile mid week long run Friday and a rest day Saturday, I had an incredible 18 mile long run, completely by myself (this is the longest I’ve ever run alone). After a 4 mile warm-up I picked up the pace and tried to get all miles between 8:15-8:30 for the remainder of the run, including 4 miles of torrential downpour. I even had the energy to run a 7:49 min/mile for the last mile! My average pace for 18 miles was 8:46 and it didn’t feel like I was overreaching. My legs weren’t as fatigued as they normally are after a long run.

These are the runs I love about training. They make all the bad runs worth it. This morning I had a hard run that brought back those feelings of doubt – I went back out for 8 Yasso 800s but this time I was running on an empty stomach at 5:45 a.m. My 7 min/mile pace seemed impossibly hard to maintain and I ended up averaging 3:42 for all 8 intervals (running up hill on some of them did NOT help). I know Yassos are supposed to be done on a flat track so this isn’t 100% accurate but I just didn’t feel fabulous and it was disappointing. I just kept reminding myself during them that it didn’t matter what pace was I going – as long as I was pushing hard I was making progress.

Boston qualifying races don’t happen because of one good training run just like they don’t NOT happen because of a few skipped or crappy training runs. It’s all about consistency and I know that I’ve been consistently working hard toward my goal and I know that it will happen for me! Each day I’m getting one step closer.

I’ll leave you with one more good one:

“We live in an ‘instant’ society, with instant fast food, instant diets (to lose the weight gained from the instant food), instant Internet, instant cell phones, pagers, email, and 24-hour news. That outlook sometimes filters down to running. There are, however, no instant results in running. Seeking instant success typically leads to disaster. Better to steadily put in your long runs and look for far-off improvement. In fact, if you did nothing but long runs you would improve and be more likely to stay injury free. Our sport is a patient, long, and drawn-out affair that requires, above all – more than talent, altitude, or a new pair of shoes – determination, dedication, and discipline.”

-Michael Sandrock, Running Tough

Do you tend to remember the bad runs or the good runs? What motivation do you use when you feel like you may not be making the progress you want? 

2012 Goals Recap

I love setting goals and working toward achieving them. It’s a big reason why I love running and endurance sports so much. In January I set 5 goals for myself to accomplish in 2012 – let’s see how I did!

1) Finish Ironman Couer D’Alene. Since this was my most important goal, it was the focus of most of my year and I did accomplish it. I don’t take it for granted that I was able to get to the start line injury free and was able to complete the entire race. I have more respect for the Ironman distance now than I did when I signed up for the race and more than when I wrote this goal last year. So many things could have gone wrong but luckily, nothing major did and I became an Ironman on June 24, 2012. I have never worked so hard for a goal in my life and it was a wonderful feeling to run down the finisher’s chute knowing that my hard work paid off.

2) Run a Sub 1:45 Half Marathon. I definitely failed at this one! I didn’t set the half marathon distance as a priority this year and only ran 2 of them – one shortly after the Ironman and another shortly after I finally began to gain some of my lost fitness back after recovering from the Ironman (and barely PRed with a 1:51). Despite that, this goal was pretty lofty and I actually don’t think I realized how hard it would be to accomplish when I set it. Nonetheless, it will remain a goal of mine, hopefully to be achieved in 2013!

A Barely New PR at Long Beach Half

3) Complete P90X2. I didn’t even try this one. I had the idea that post Ironman I would have so much energy and excitement to continue double workout days and I could somehow manage to do P90X2 while also training for half marathons and attending all my friend’s weddings. Instead, I got into Dailey Method and slept in more days. I don’t regret it- I deserved it after a year of intense training for the Ironman!

4) Run a Sub 3:50 Marathon.  When I originally set this goal, I wasn’t sure I was going to even attempt it at Surf City 2012. However, once I was able to do my 10 Yasso 800’s at 3:50, I decided to just go for it at that race. The worst that could happen would be that I blew up but at least I tried! Surf City was a great race – although it was quite warm for February (70s and sunny!), Asia and I both had a great race and were shocked at how easy the 8:45 pace felt for the majority of the race. At the end, Asia and I cheered each other on during our times of doubt and we both achieved our goal of sub 3:50! I’m not sure I could have done it without her (or with Jeremy who ran me in the last 1/2 mile when I was exhausted).  I’m also glad we went for this goal at Surf City because I didn’t run another marathon this year.

My Race Goal on Macaroni Grill Paper Table Cloth

Sub 3:50 Glory at Surf City Marathon!

5) Podium at a Triathlon. I knew there was no chance of a podium at either Oceanside 70.3 or IM CdA, but I figured if I entered a sprint or Olympic I’d have a shot since I ended up 3rd in my age group at my first Olympic triathlon in 2011. I entered the San Diego Classic in September without much motivation to train but luckily my residual Ironman fitness carried me to the finish line 2nd in my age group!

On the Podium!

Considering the weight of my primary goal of completing IM CdA, three out of five goals isn’t bad! I am a bit disappointed that I didn’t come closer to the half marathon goal mostly because my big goal for 2013 is to qualify for Boston and I surely need to have the fitness to run a sub 1:45 half to do it. However, I actually feel fairly confident that if I were to run a half marathon today (with some taper, of course) that I’d be pretty close to my goal. But I guess we’ll have to wait until 2013 to find out!

The theme of this year was some serious strength and growth in my fitness in the first half of the year followed by some disappointments in the second half. I had naively expected to come out of the Ironman a much faster and stronger runner, whereas the reality was that I just really needed a break. I was mentally and physically exhausted and I needed to focus on recovery as well as spending time with friends and family. The result of which was a few disappointing races, but I’m ok with sacrificing a PR or two for mental health and relationships! Because I took the time to rest and mentally recharge, I am excited going into 2013 and ready to achieve some new goals!

What was your #1 goal for 2012 and did you achieve it? Did you also get excited and set too many goals like me!?

2012 in Photos

There are a few common blog posts among bloggers this time of year and I’m not going to be one of those people who doesn’t do them just because everyone else is. So here it is – 2012 in photos! Enjoy 🙂

I started off the year with my new bike – a shiny new 2012 P2!

Getting Fitted on My New Bike!

In February, Mike, Asia and I ran the Surf City Marathon and each of us achieved our goals (sub 3:50 for Asia and me, Sub 3:20 for Mike). After that, we set our focus 100% on triathlon. The photo below is one of a few of us on a training ride through Camp Pendleton to practice the Oceanside 70.3 bike course.

Practicing the Oceanside 70.3 Course

Meeting Chrissie Wellington!

On March 31, I crossed the finish line of my first half Ironman in just under 6 hours! April-June was basically eat, sleep, breath Ironman training.

One of Many Group Open Water Swims

Halfway Through Our 91 Mile Ride!

Mike and Me After a TCSD Aquathon

Running Skirts Zoot Pro Triathlete Run!

Then the big day came – June 24 I finished my first Ironman!

Ironman CdA Swim Start

It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but worth every second of pain.

Vegan lunch!

After the Ironman, Mike and I started our mostly vegan diet. We’ve eaten a lot of vegetables in the last six months!

Also after Ironman, wedding season began. From June – early November I attended five bridal showers, three bachelorette parties and seven weddings!

Celebrating friends, not race finishes as Maid of Honor in a good friend’s wedding

Wine Tasting Bachelorette in Santa Barbara

I didn’t give up racing completely! In August I ran the AFC Half Marathon “for fun” and in September I took 2nd place in my age group at the San Diego Classic Triathlon!

AFC Pre-Race Photo!

Awesome Trophy at the Classic

In September I started my 2nd season of coaching for Girls on the Run, this time coaching slightly older girls in Girls on Track!

So Proud of My Team!

In October, I started to get back into the swing of training and pulled off a slight PR at the Long Beach Half Marathon.

Later in October Mike and I took two weekend trips – one to Vegas for a trip I won through work and one four day weekend to San Francisco for a wedding. While in San Francisco, I met up Page and some other fellow runner/bloggers for a gorgeous 18 mile run.

VEGAS!

Ferry Building to Golden Gate Long Run

In November, we took a break from marathon training and went to Belize for a relaxing 8 night vacation!

In December, we continued to marathon train while attending Christmas parties and celebrating my birthday!

My Dad’s Birthday is Christmas Eve, Mine is Christmas Day!

My highlight of 2012 was undoubtedly crossing the finish line of my first Ironman but even despite the Ironman, 2012 was a great year! I’m looking forward to achieving some new goals and making more memories in 2013.

What was your highlight of 2012?